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Archives for August 2024

CIPC Semi-Finalists show more of their musical personalities

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by Daniel Hathaway

In altering the repertory requirements for the 2024 Cleveland International Piano Competition, the organizers made the rounds much more interesting for the attendees, but probably more complicated for the jury, who now had to compare wildly different apples to oranges.

Another change moved the chamber music round from the final to the semi-final round and reduced the players from a piano quintet to a piano trio (the instrumentalists here were violinist Maria Yudenich and cellist Gabriel Martins).

Here are our impressions of works we heard performed by the eight semi-finalists from August 1 through 4 (chamber music comments at the end).

[Read more…]

Cleveland Orchestra provides a grand musical backdrop for an epic screening of “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (August 2) 

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by Peter Feher
This article was originally published on cleveland.com

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio  — The Cleveland Orchestra has assembled an army of musicians for this weekend’s performances at Blossom Music Center, which is only fitting for an epic finale.

Hundreds of singers and instrumentalists are joining forces for “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” live in concert, the eagerly awaited conclusion to a trilogy that began for Northeast Ohio audiences in 2022.

Over three summers, the Cleveland Orchestra will have presented each film in director Peter Jackson’s monumental fantasy series — the ensemble playing Howard Shore’s sweeping symphonic scores as the story of Frodo and Sam, the One Ring, and the fate of Middle-earth unfolds on screens around the Blossom Pavilion.

[Read more…]

DIARY: Thursday, August 8, 2024

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by  Daniel Hathaway

HAPPENING TODAY:

This evening at 6:30, the Canton Symphony’s Summer Serenades brings a harp & flute duet to Fry Family Park in Magnolia, and at 7 pm, The Cleveland Orchestra presents an evening with John Legend (pictured) at Blossom. Anthony Parnther conducts (read a preview interview here).

For details of these and other classical events, visit the ClevelandClassicaal.com Concert Listings.

TODAY’S ALMANAC:

by Jarrett Hoffman

The Amati are one of the most important families of luthiers in the history of the violin, and on this date in 1684, the greatest instrument maker in that family, Nicola Amati, died in Cremona, Italy. [Read more…]

A conversation with Cleveland Orchestra guest conductor Anthony Parnther

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by Mike Telin

Note: this performance was begun but cancelled due to deteriorating weather conditions, and is to be rescheduled.

Anthony Parnther will guest conduct the Cleveland Orchestra for its August 8 concert with John Legend at Blossom Music Center. I recently had the opportunity to speak with the multi-talented musician by telephone about his fascinating career.

Mike Telin: Where am I finding you? 

Anthony Parnther: I’m in Baltimore. I’ve been in the middle of a couple of concerts with the Symphony.

MT: When does the tour with John Legend begin?

AP: I’m not sure it constitutes a tour per se. but it’s an array of dates around the country and in China. He’s on tour, but not all of his dates involve the full orchestra. Sometimes  it’s just John on the piano by himself, sometimes it’s John with the band, and then sometimes he gets to use the entire orchestra. That began a month and a half ago with Wolf Trap. We were in San Francisco last weekend and we’ll be progressing on to Philadelphia and Cleveland next week. [Read more…]

DIARY: Wednesday, August 7, 2024

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by  Daniel Hathaway

HAPPENING TODAY:

This evening at 7 pm, the Cleveland International Piano Competition continues with part one of its Salon Round. Giuseppe Guarrera (Italy) and Zijian Wei: (China) will each perform a 45-60 minute program in historic Glidden House on Ford Drive in University Circle. “In the grand tradition of salons, personal narratives and histories will be interspersed throughout the program.” Click here for ticket information.

For details of these and other classical events, visit the ClevelandClassicaal.com Concert Listings.

TODAY’S ALMANAC:

Czech-American composer Karel Husa was born in Prague on August 7, 1921. [Read more…]

DIARY: Tuesday, August 6, 2024

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by  Daniel Hathaway

HAPPENING TODAY:

This evening at 7 pm, the Cleveland International Piano Competition continues with part one of its Salon Round. Evren Ozel (USA) and Maxim Lando (USA) will each perform a 45-60 minute program in historic Glidden House on Ford Drive in University Circle. “In the grand tradition of salons, personal narratives and histories will be interspersed throughout the program.” Click here for ticket information.

For details of these and other classical events, visit the ClevelandClassicaal.com Concert Listings.

INTERESTING READS:

In a Facebook post yesterday, assistant principal oboist Jeffrey Rathbun offered an insight into The Cleveland Orchestra’s three performances of a Lord of the Rings film last weekend. [Read more…]

DIARY: Monday, August 5, 2024

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by  Daniel Hathaway

HAPPENING TODAY:

Following the Semi-Final round on Sunday afternoon, the jury announced the four finalists in the 2024 Cleveland International Piano Competition: Maxim Lando (USA), Evren Ozel (USA), Giuseppe Guarrera (Italy), and Zijian Wei (China).

They’ll undoubtedly be spending today practicing for the Salon Round on Tuesday and Wednesday at Glidden House, and the Final Round on Friday and Saturday at Severance Music Center with The Cleveland Orchestra.

Meanwhile, at 10 am, the competition jurors will coach piano students from around Northeast Ohio in master classes at The Music Settlement (free and open to the public).

For details of these and other classical events, visit the ClevelandClassicaal.com Concert Listings.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Cleveland Jazz Orchestra has announced its 40th Anniversary season at the Maltz Performing Arts Center, with subscriptions to go on sale August 9. [Read more…]

DIARY: Weekend, August 2-4, 2024

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by  Daniel Hathaway

HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND

The Semi-Final Round of the Cleveland International Piano Competition continues this weekend in Reinberger Chamber Hall at Severance Music Center.

Six competitors will each play 25-30 minute solo recitals, followed by the performance of a trio of their choice with violinist Maria Ioudenitch and cellist Gabriel Martins. Attend in person or watch a live stream (tickets and details here).

Here is the schedule for the weekend sessions of the Semi-Finals:

Friday, August 2 at 7 PM:
Jonathan Mamora, (29, United States) & Zhu Wang (27, China) [Read more…]

CIPC Quarter-Finalists show their musical personalities

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by Mike Telin & Daniel Hathaway

Relieved of some of the customary competition repertory requirements, the sixteen pianists who played in the five CIPC Quarter-Final Rounds this week were pretty much given carte blanche to share their musical personalities with the jury and audience through their own choice of repertory.

This change made for the most interesting programming to be heard to date at the Cleveland competition. Over the five sessions, no piece was played twice.

Those of us who have been following CIPC for years probably rejoiced at not hearing multiple performances of the Chopin “Winter Wind” etude, or sitting through three performances of the same lengthy Schumann work in a single evening. [Read more…]

The Cleveland Orchestra: Summers at Severance with Petr Popelka & James Ehnes (July 25)

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by Peter Feher

Movie music has been cropping up on more and more Cleveland Orchestra programs in recent seasons — even when it’s not advertised.

This was all to the good at Severance Music Center on Thursday, July 25. The Orchestra sounded very much its polished self in the second concert of this year’s Summers at Severance series, the set of strictly classical offerings that the ensemble has brought back to balance out this summer’s lighter programming at Blossom Music Center.

All the same, summer was in full swing on Euclid Avenue. The front terrace outside Severance was strung with lights and set up with white tents serving refreshments. [Read more…]

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